Today is Thursday, April 29, the 120th day of 2004. There are 246 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On April 29, 1945, during World War II, American soldiers liberated the Dachau concentration camp; that same day, Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun and designated Admiral Karl Doenitz his successor.

On this date:

In 1429, Joan of Arc entered the besieged city of Orleans to lead a victory over the English.

In 1861, Maryland’s House of Delegates voted against seceding from the Union.

In 1862, New Orleans fell to Union forces during the Civil War.

In 1916, the Easter Rising in Dublin collapsed as Irish nationalists surrendered to British authorities.

In 1946, 28 former Japanese leaders were indicted as war criminals.

In 1974, President Nixon announced he was releasing edited transcripts of some secretly made White House tape recordings related to Watergate.

In 1983, Harold Washington was sworn in as the first black mayor of Chicago.

In 1992, deadly rioting erupted in Los Angeles after a jury in Simi Valley, Calif., acquitted four Los Angeles police officers of almost all state charges in the videotaped beating of Rodney King.

In 1996, former CIA Director William Colby was presumed drowned by authorities in Maryland after an apparent boating accident; his body was later recovered.

In 1997, a worldwide treaty to ban chemical weapons went into effect.

Ten years ago: Hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the terror of ethnic massacres in Rwanda were pouring into Tanzania. Israel and the PLO signed an agreement in Paris granting Palestinians broad authority to set taxes, control trade and regulate banks under self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.

Five years ago: Yugoslavia filed World Court cases against 10 alliance members, including the United States, claiming their bombing campaign breached international law. The Reverend Jesse Jackson arrived in Belgrade on a mission to win freedom for three American POWs held by Yugoslavia.

One year ago: The Palestinian parliament approved Mahmoud Abbas as prime minister, clearing the final obstacle to the launch of a U.S.-backed “road map” to peace. Pakistani authorities captured Waleed bin Attash, accused of playing a leading role in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Celeste Holm is 85. Rhythm and blues singer Carl Gardner (The Coasters) is 76. Poet Rod McKuen is 71. Actor Keith Baxter is 71. Bluesman Otis Rush is 70. Conductor Zubin Mehta is 68. Actor Lane Smith is 68. Country singer Duane Allen (The Oak Ridge Boys) is 61. Singer Tommy James is 57. Movie director Phillip Noyce is 54. Country musician Wayne Secrest (Confederate Railroad) is 54. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 50. Actress Kate Mulgrew is 49. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 47. Actress Michelle Pfeiffer is 46. Actress Eve Plumb is 46. Rock musician Phil King is 44. Country singer Stephanie Bentley is 41. Singer Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) is 36. Actress Uma Thurman is 34. Tennis player Andre Agassi is 34. Rapper Master P is 34. Country singer James Bonamy is 32. Rock musician Mike Hogan (The Cranberries) is 31. Actor Zane Carney is 19.

Thought for Today: “News is history shot on the wing.” – Gene Fowler, American journalist (1890-1960).